The Elephant in the Room Mk I

For the purposes of this blog, I wasn't sure how to deal with any new cd's that I acquired. I've decided that I may as well catalogue any as I get them though. So, the free cd with the new issue of BBC Music magazine for this month is of Elgar's second symphony with the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent. I've always had a problem with Elgar stemming from my anti-establishment roots. The big elephant in the room particularly being the Pomp and Circumstance March No 1 and the Last Night of the Proms capering. There was a time when Elgar conducted by Malcolm Sargent would have epitomised said establishment for me. As I have learnt more about Elgar, I realise that he was much more of an outsider and that his music is much more varied than just Land of Hope and Glory, which he never intended to have such jingoistic connotations anyway. I love the second and third movements of this symphony, a slow funeral march style second movement and an abrasive rondo for the third. The first movement and finale still sound a little overblown late romantic to me but I do now appreciate Elgar for the composer of substance that he was.